Various protective devices and covers have been proposed for covering or protecting remote control units such as are commonly used to operate television sets, CD changers and carousels, satellite receivers, stereo receivers, VCRs, cable converter boxes, AM/FM/Stereos/CD cassette portables, garage door openers, and the like. The invention is also applicable to the so-called universal remote controls.
For example, Jalomo U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,141 describes a cover for a remote control unit in the form of a box made by welding the edges of a cruciform blank. The box is adapted to have a remote control unit inserted therein. The top of the box is held shut by Velcro patches. Jalomo does not disclose that the buttons are intended to be pressed while in the case. Jalomo refers only to a protective case for storing a remote control unit.
Uljanic U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,459 discloses a transparent case for encapsulating a remote control unit. This case has an end flap which is held closed by Velcro patches. The top panel of the case has a thickness that is the same as the projection distance of each pushbutton on the remote control unit so that when the top panel is sealed on the upper face of the remote control unit, the upper face of the top panel is coplanar with the upper face or surface of the pushbuttons. The top panel has individual holes aligned to fit around the pushbuttons and a series of integral raised deflectable pads spanning the holes for registry with individual pushbuttons so that each pad can be separately pressed to operate the underlying pushbutton.
It has also been proposed to wrap a remote control unit in material such as bubble wrap or foam to provide shock-resistant or to insert the control unit in a container or case made of shock resistant material, Meliconi U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,256.